The Heritage Junction Dispatch a Publication of the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society
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The Heritage Junction Dispatch A Publication of the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society Volume 42, Issue 6 November - December 2016 Calendar President’s Message by Alan Pollack Sunday, November 6 Rancho Camulos Days 12:00-4:00 PM Rancho Camulos See page 6 An Ode to Vin just occurred in the family. I must admit, I spent the rest of the afternoon mourning the Saturday, November 19 Scully “loss” of Vin Scully. Lecture Series: Mark Weingarten “There will be a new on his book “Thirsty - William day, and eventually a But then I began to wonder why. Why had this Mulholland, California Water, and new year, and when man affected me so deeply. As we grow older, the real Chinatown” the upcoming winter we witness more and more of the heroes 2:00 PM Old Town Newhall Library gives way to spring, and famous of our youthful years getting old, Monday, November 28 ah, rest assured, once getting sick, and passing on. With most of Board of Directors Meeting again, it will be time these icons, we are momentarily sad, and then 6:30 PM Saugus Station for Dodgers baseball! So this is Vin Scully just as quickly they become a footnote in Thursday, December 1 wishing you a very pleasant good afternoon, history. But not with Vin Scully. The loss of Vin Deadline for the November- wherever you may be.” Scully as a Dodger broadcaster goes deeper than his fame and renown. And I asked myself, December Dispatch With those simple words, Vin Scully signed why is that? Saturday, December 3 off on the last Dodger broadcast of his Christmas Open House illustrious career on the afternoon of Oct On further reflection, I believe that the loss Noon-4:00 PM Heritage Junction 2, 2016. Millions of baseball fans across the of Vin Scully is a loss of a fundamental link to See page 7 country felt the loss of this iconic man, as an our rapidly receding childhood years. The long Monday, December 19 epic chapter in Los Angeles history came to wait through a cold and dark winter. The joy Board of Directors Meeting a close. As I watched his final words, I was of spring when the Dodgers finally came to 6:30 PM Saugus Station overcome with an emotion as if a death had life again, heading off to spring training in Vero Continued on Page 2 OutWest Concert Series at The Repertory East, 24266 Main St in Newhall. 8:00 PM Thursday, November 17: An evening with Texas Performer Dennis Jay. $20 for SCVHS members Check www.scvhistory.org for other upcoming events. Articles and inquiries regarding The Dispatch may be made to 661 254-1275 To arrange for filming at Heritage Junction, contact Cathy Martin at 661 645-0107 PAGE 2 THE HERITAGE JUNCTION DISPATCH VOLUME 42, ISSUE 6 President’s Message Continued from page 1 Beach. And then the glory days of summer, as they worked franchise history at Ebbets Field in 1955. The next year, he day in and day out, trying to bring another pennant and World was there to announce the only perfect game in World Series Series championship to Los Angeles. history, spun by the Yankees’ Don Larsen against the Dodgers. And through it all there was Vin Scully. His mellifluous voice It was to be the last World Series in Brooklyn. resonating across a hot summer night. Vin Scully was more After the Dodgers, along with Vin Scully as their broadcaster, than just a sports broadcaster. He was a baseball poet, moved to Los Angeles in 1958, Scully continued to be our with a soothing cadence and rhythm to his voice as he voice as we witnessed history in the making. called countless ball games and interposed his acumen as a He was there to call Sandy Koufax’s historic fourth no hitter storyteller and as a witness to the glory years of the Brooklyn and perfect game against the Cubs at Dodger Stadium on Dodgers of the 1950s, and the years after 1958, when they September 9, 1965: “Two and two to Harvey Kuenn, one moved to Los Angeles. He remained the only broadcaster strike away. Sandy into his windup, here’s the pitch: Swung on who had actually met baseball players who had played as early and missed, a perfect game! On the scoreboard in right field as the 1930s. His memories of some of the greatest moments it is 9:46 p.m. in the City of the Angels, Los Angeles, California. in baseball history witnessed throughout his 67 years on the And a crowd of twenty-nine thousand one-hundred thirty job are irreplaceable. nine just sitting in to see the only pitcher in baseball history Vin Scully has been the one constant throughout my entire to hurl four no-hit, no-run games. He has done it four straight life. As a seven year old child, I began listening to Scully years, and now he caps it: On his fourth no-hitter he made it calling Dodger baseball in the summer of 1965. There was a perfect game.” my favorite player, Sandy Koufax, along with Don Drysdale, He was there in Atlanta when Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s Maury Wills, Willie Davis, and Sweet Lou Johnson. That was untouchable career home run record against the Dodgers’ the summer when neighborhoods in South Los Angeles pitcher Al Downing on April 8, 1974: “What a marvelous became engulfed in flames during the Watts Riots. And it moment for baseball, what a marvelous moment for Atlanta was the summer I began listening to the rock n’ roll music and the state of Georgia, what a marvelous moment for the played on radio stations like Boss Radio 93 KHJ and KRLA. I country and the world. A black man is getting a standing was introduced on my transistor radio to The Rolling Stones, ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all- “Satisfaction”, Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone”, the Beatles’ time baseball idol. It is over, at 10 minutes after nine in Atlanta, “Help”, Sonny and Cher’s “I Got You Babe”, and The Beach Georgia, Henry Aaron has eclipsed the mark set by Babe Ruth.” Boys’ “California Girls”. It was a magical summer for me. And I was one of those kids who slept with the transistor radio And he was there at the first game of the World Series in 1988 under my pillow, falling asleep to the reassuring voice of Vin to call the greatest baseball moment I have ever witnessed in Scully. That fall, all the kids took their radios to school to my lifetime: “High fly ball into right field, she i-i-i-is gone!! hear Scully call the Dodgers World Series victory over the In a year that has been so improbable … the impossible has Minnesota Twins. happened! And, now, the only question was, could he make it The next year, Scully was there again in the broadcast booth around the base paths unassisted?! as Koufax played in his last World Series, the Dodgers losing You know, I said it once before, a few days ago, that Kirk to the Baltimore Orioles. Koufax retired after that series, no Gibson was not the Most Valuable Player; that the Most longer able to pitch effectively with an arthritic elbow that Valuable Player for the Dodgers was Tinkerbell. But, tonight, had thrown a few too many blazing fastballs. I think Tinkerbell backed off for Kirk Gibson. And, look As the years since then have turned into decades and a new at Eckersley—shocked to his toes! They are going wild at millennium, so many things have changed in this life, but until Dodger Stadium—no one wants to leave!” now, Vin Scully was always there. And now he is gone. Vin Scully has been there throughout my Scully actually began his broadcasting career in Brooklyn in entire life. At 88 years old, it was time to call it quits, to enjoy 1950, a protégé of the Dodgers’ legendary announcer Red his final years with his family and friends. Godspeed Vin Scully, Barber. Eventually taking over for Barber, he began his 67 and enjoy a well-deserved retirement. Like George Bailey, you year odyssey bearing witness to the Boys of Summer -- Jackie cannot begin to imagine what an impact you have had on my Robinson, Duke Snider, Pee Wee Reese, Gil Hodges, Roy life and the lives of millions of baseball fans. Dodgers baseball Campanella, Carl Erskine, Don Newcombe, and many more. will never be the same without you. He was there to call the first World Series victory in Dodgers PAGE 3 THE HERITAGE JUNCTION DISPATCH VOLUME 42, ISSUE 6 God, Acorns, and the SCV Indian Pharmacy by John Boston unny, isn’t it, how we take so much for granted. We’re Speaking of things ancient, the Tataviam used to use a variety Fminutes away from food grown a half-planet away. of local plants for salves and remedies. Balsam sage was used Clothes from around the world fill the valley, and the latest to help cure kidney problems and fever. Juniper berries were miracles in medicine wait for us at Wal-Mart. used for stomach, liver and blood treatments. Manzanita bark was used for treating constipation, and rather strangely, Life was both simpler and not as convenient for our Native also for dysentery. The cochineal bug was crushed and used American ancestors here in the Santa Clarita Valley. to create a bright red hue for face paint (some early settlers Oaks used to number in the thousands throughout the used it for decorating cakes!).